Name:
Artemisia filifolia - Ephedra (torreyana, viridis) Shrubland
Reference:
NatureServe Biotics 2019
Description:
This sandy site shrubland association occurs on the Colorado Plateau in southeastern Utah and northern Arizona. Total vegetation cover ranges from 15-67%. The shrub layer is not dominated by a single species but rather by a group of species that codominate. <i>Artemisia filifolia</i> is the only consistent shrub to occur within the association and functions as an indicator species. Other shrubs can occur and can dominate or codominate within this association, but they do not have to be present. These main shrubs consist of <i>Ephedra torreyana, Ephedra viridis, Ericameria nauseosa, Gutierrezia sarothrae</i>, and <i>Atriplex canescens</i>. The herbaceous layer is diverse and provides low to moderate cover. Common graminoids include <i>Achnatherum hymenoides, Distichlis spicata, Pleuraphis jamesii, Sporobolus contractus</i>, and <i>Sporobolus flexuosus</i>. Forbs tend to be weedy and may have moderate cover as well; they include <i>Ambrosia acanthicarpa, Amsonia tomentosa, Oenothera pallida, Machaeranthera canescens</i>, and <i>Sphaeralcea</i> spp. The presence of the non-native annual grasses <i>Bromus rubens</i> or <i>Bromus tectorum</i> and the exotic forb <i>Salsola tragus</i> indicate disturbances such as grazing. Biological soil crusts may be absent, though may have up to 42% cover, but are generally poorly developed (early stages of development). This shrub association occurs on deep, well-drained sandy soils along or near drainage channels/washes, on canyon and valley bottoms, benches, and stabilized dunes. Sites tend to be flat or slope gently and occur between 1141 and 1490 m elevation. Bare soil, sand, with a layer of sandstone cobbles or black cinder cover most of the unvegetated surface, with low to moderate cover of gravel and biological soil crusts, and sparse to low cover of litter and bedrock. Soils are generally sandy and derived from eolian or alluvial deposits, from Navajo or Kayenta sandstones, or from the Moenkopi Formation.
Accession Code:
urn:lsid:vegbank.org:commConcept:31690-{1DD12462-F083-4A6D-B932-CC47235DA012}
Plot-observations of this Community Concept:
0
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